A Serving of Vienna
by ForGranted
Summary: After repeatedly making mistakes in the kitchen, Camilla is sent away from her home to attend Totsuki culinary academy so that she can refine her skills. The fact that her sister's overconfident and rather sinister fiancé, a former student of Totsuki, is the one to take over the kitchen while she is abroad doesn't help the young teen.
1. Chapter 1

"It's burnt again, Camilla! Stop dreaming and focus!", the young girl nodded as she continued chopping the vegetables.

Growing up in the family business had its perks, but the yelling wasn't part of it. She hated it, she hated the pressure and the heat and- she grimaced as the knife slipped off the plump tomato into her fingers.

"Camilla! Be careful!", her sister ran over and held a towel against her finger. "You need to watch out.".

Sofia led her younger sister to the emergency kit. Her brisk and efficient work managed to leave Camilla speechless countless times thanks to the abundance of grace she mustered. "You need to stop dreaming, Camilla. I know you don't handle the stress well and I'll tell ma and pa to go easy on you, ok?"

Sofia had been the mature, perfect sister all her life and on this day, Camilla despised it.  
"No.", she gritted her teeth, "I can handle this myself. The knife was too blunt, it shouldn't have slipped off something as delicate as a tomato. I will sharpen the knives after work, don't worry about it."  
Her sister sighed, "If you could handle it, I wouldn't be mending your wound right now."

Camilla looked away in shame and pouted. She knew Sofia was right. As always.  
She yanked her hand away and walked back towards the kitchen and stopped in the doorway. "Thanks for the plaster, but I can do this myself."

* * *

She grinned when she heard the last staff member leave the restaurant. This only meant one thing, she was alone. She pulled out all the knives and tossed her whetstone into the sink. Time to sharpen these knives. It always felt therapeutic to stand in the dim kitchen, grinding away at the blunt edges. Cold water soaked up her fresh plaster, the whetstone bubbles away under the stream of water. Camilla sighed in relief as she dried off the last utensil and placed it back in its intended spot. The moon reflected off the blades, light dancing around the unlit room.

Once she finished closing everything off, Camilla looked up at the gloomy sky. The night sky was bare, apart from a single bright star shining. She shut her eyes and inhaled the city air. It wasn't fresh and lush, but better than other places in the world.

She stared back at the star and smiled. Wouldn't it be fun to leave everything? Just start from nothing in a new country?

She listed her skills as she walked through the lit streets. What was she good at? Her parents had never encouraged Sofia or her at anything other than helping in the restaurant. In fact, Sofia shocked the entire family when she told them she would become a doctor. The star of the family and oldest child didn't want to take over the old family establishment. After one daughter left, all the work plummeted onto Camilla. She couldn't go off to become a vet or an author or an artist or whatever her heart desired. She had to take over the family business.

Camilla plopped onto a bench by the pitch-black, wide river and stared off into the distance. Thoughts of falling into the dark depths and vanishing from the world or worse, a giant squid passing by made her shiver.

Once again, she pondered, what was she good at? Pastries? Anything with carbs seemed to work. Desserts also were one of her favourite things to prepare.

The short girl sighed and leaned back, her long dark brown bangs dangled off the back of the bench. All these years and all she seemed to excel at was cooking. Her interests vanished slowly as the restaurant became the main priority. Although cooking undoubtedly was her passion, being forced to help out daily didn't encourage her in any way.

The dark haired girl sat back in defeat. Maybe she could make her other joys her job? Reading? Playing games? Writing? She knew she either wasn't good enough to make it or there was no way she could make it a job. A taste tester? She had helped with selecting ingredients, she could taste what ingredients were in a dish, her nose was rather sensitive as well and to top all that off, she would get to eat copious amounts of delicious food. This clearly was the best and least taxing job she could think of.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. The young girl slipped it out and took a look at the daunting display name. It was her mother, probably wondering where her daughter was. "Camilla? Are you still in the restaurant? How long do you need to sharpen a couple knives?"

"I'm taking a walk."

"Well get back soon, I've been talking to Sofia about your recent behaviour."

Camilla rolled her eyes so far, she was concerned they'd get stuck.

"Well? How long will you need?"

"Give me an hour."

Before her ma could freak out on the other end, she hung up and ignored any further calls. She needed some peace.

She gritted her teeth when she thought about Sofia. She always got into her business, even when told not to. Sometimes it felt like this had only been the case when it would get Camilla in trouble and leave Sofia looking like the mature one. Maybe it was true? Sofia was older and had more experience in life after all.

"Damn it." Camilla knew she would get an earful when she got home, especially after hanging up. She kicked the bench in frustration and yelped in pain. I hate this. I hate everything. She wanted to scream, to shout, but mostly, to cry.

* * *

"You have been absolutely shameful lately!"

Camilla stared at the ground as her mother yelled at her.

"You're making more and more mistakes in the kitchen! Burning food! Chopping things too coarsely! Sometimes making little food experiments and then serving them to our guests! Worst of all, you've been daydreaming even more than usual and then you dare speak back and hang up!"

"Hmm."

"I expect an apology! And don't think Sofia will protect you any longer! She told me about today. She helps you and all you do is snap at her?"

Camilla glared at Sofia, who sat next to their mother. Minding her own business, staring at her phone.

"I did not snap at her."

"What? Is that all you have to say?"

"I'm sorry for hanging up and for trying new things, but I did not snap at Sofia. And I would like it if you could come directly to me next time, instead of gossiping to each other."

Sofia looked up from her phone and smiled. "Well, things just came up. Am I not allowed to speak to my own mother anymore?"

Camilla clenched her fists in frustration. "You can if you leave me out of the discussion. I am sick of you and your stupid-."

"Well, Camilla.", her mother paused and looked over at Sofia, "We're sick of your behaviour as well. If it's too much for you to handle, we don't want your help."

Too much to handle. This was Sofia's work.

"But how am I supposed to take over the restaurant?"

"We've discussed this with your father. He agrees that you might not be fit. In fact, Sofia actually knows a friend who will take over your spot. He seems to be level-headed and actually went to a culinary school."

"So.", Camilla swallowed the knot in her throat, "You are replacing me?"

Her mother seemed upset but decisive. "We think it's for your best. Don't think we didn't notice your grades slipping as well."

"That's because I've been closing the place for a couple years. I'm hardly getting any sleep after working all day and going to school."

"If you can't handle-"

"Stop saying that! I can handle this and I will! Stop making choices for me! You two have been meddling in my life for too long, I want to be able to make a choice for once!"

"We are doing what we think will be best for you."

"What's best for me?", the young girl scoffed, "You've been doing what's best for your business!"

"Let me finish, Camilla.", her mother took a deep breath.

"Your sister's friend happens to have been from a culinary school in Japan. He actually recommended it to me and that's why-."

Camilla stared at her with wide open eyes. She knew what was about to happen. Her eyes watered as her mother finished her sentence.

We want you gone.

We want Sofia.

We don't need you.

Camilla, we want you to pack your things and attend the Tōtsuki Tea Ceremony and Cooking Academy.

* * *

After swallowing her pride and settling down for the night, Camilla insisted on meeting the new head chef of the Golden Deer. Who was she up against? Was he truly better than her or was that culinary school just some overblown place for rich kids?

The room fell silent when the door opened and two people entered. The first was Sofia, her beaming smile lit up the room, even more than usual. Camilla's eye twitched when she was her sister's fingers interlaced with that man's. He was tall, undoubtedly over six feet. His raven hair and piercing blue eyes sent chills down her back. The young girl went frigid when she spotted the engagement band on her older sister's ring finger.  
This was why she was so happy to introduce him.

"Everyone, meet James, my fiancé and future head chef of the Golden Deer!"  
Their mother just stared in shock. Sofia usually told them everything about her partners, how come she never mentioned James before?

He had an arrogant vibe and a sly smirk. "It's a pleasure to meet the family of my beloved."  
The room felt cold as soon as he had entered it. His sinister smile battled the radiance of Sofia's smile. They were so different, apart from their dark hair and yet Camilla could see her sister was in love and so was he.

"The pleasure is ours, James. Welcome to the family.", their mother spoke first, "This is Camilla."

His arrogant gaze landed on Camilla. "I see, it's wonderful to meet the former chef. I've heard a lot of positive things about you. In fact, Sofia only spoke about you most of the time."

Camilla looked at Sofia, who nodded briefly. "I see."

"I hope you won't mind me taking over the kitchen while you are abroad. I promise I will look after it."

Camilla smiled weakly, "You better, otherwise I'll just return right away."

He laughed and nodded, "Who knows, maybe you'll return sooner than you'd expect. It isn't easy to graduate at that school, you know."

The young girl just smiled and shrugged, "You don't need to worry about me. Focus on keeping this place open while I'm away.", she crossed her arms, "And treat my family well."

"I'll do my best."

Camilla glared at the giant, who practically towered over her. "How about you cook the most popular dish on the menu? Show us those culinary school skills. I'll even let you use your own recipe.", she muttered smugly.

He swiftly stripped off his suit jacket and threw it over a chair, "I'll give it my best shot. Tafelspitz, was it?".  
Within an hour he served her the dish and sat down. "Go on, give it a taste, Camilla."

The intense beef fragrance alone felt like a punch to her gut. Each bite felt like another jab, but she couldn't stop. It felt so light and yet she felt perfectly full and content as soon as she lowered her cutlery. It was truly impressive.

The young chef stared at her empty dish in disbelief. She knew it right there. She was inferior.


	2. Chapter 2

Her luggage felt heavy, but not as heavy as her heart, as cliche as that sounded. She loved travelling, but there had always been a possibility of returning home. Her family didn't want her back, at least not until she graduated. What was the graduation rate? What if she didn't make it? Would that James guy take over with her sister?

She slammed her hand on her desk in frustration or rather desperation. How could they do this? Give the family business away to a stranger! What if he changed the place? What if he ruined all their hard work? What if he was using them to get an easy foot into the business? Their restaurant was already well known and praised by several food critics.

She had to return. She would graduate and show her family her true worth! They would finally see what they were missing once she was gone. Absence made the heart grow fonder after all!

Camilla slowly closed her bag and looked around her room one last time. She wouldn't be home for a few years. She wouldn't allow herself to return, she had to be strong at least until she surpassed James' skills. 

* * *

The flight to Tokyo wasn't easy. She spent the entire time sleeping or sobbing. She had never had to travel for seventeen hours, especially not on her own, to a country she had never been to. As hard as this was, it was a necessary evil.

As soon as she arrived, she put on her best poker face and bit her tongue. She could barely speak the language at a middle school level and although many people were bound to be amicable, it would be hard to make any friends if she couldn't get past the usual questions.

It was ok, she had to focus on the important things. She wasn't here to make friends. All she needed was to pass all her exams and do what she did best; cook.

The entrance exam was a huge success, although most people shuddered and failed miserably from performance anxiety, she trusted in her skills. As long as she could cook without any restrictions and without anyone yelling at her, she flourished. The simple and yet beloved potato ensure an easy pass for the young girl.

"Excuse me, sir.", the dark-brown haired girl slowly approached her professor with a weak smile, "Would it be possible for me to take a few potatoes?"

He raised an eyebrow and was about to reject, but she quickly continued.

"I mean no disrespect but I just got off my flight this morning and I need an ingredient to be accepted into the Polar Star dormitory."

He sighed and shrugged, "This is an exception. Don't make me regret it."

She grinned and bowed to her supervisor before grabbing a few potatoes and rushing to the Polar Star, the only on-campus accommodation, the cheapest option, according to her parents, and her next hurdle. From what she had read that dorm was pretty far away. 

* * *

The exterior left her baffled. Even if vines gave it a run down appearance, it clearly used to be a stunning building. She pushed open the heavy wooden door and peered into the seemingly abandoned chalet. A thick layer of dust covered most of the place, although marks of footsteps indicated that others had entered this place before her. An old, creepy lady appeared from the shadows making the young girl jump and cower in fear.

"I see you have decided to join us, Huber Camilla. I am Fumio Daimido, possibly your new dorm mother if you can pass my test."

"I hope I'm not late, Miss!", Camilla stuttered in broken Japanese. The mention of a mother left a bad taste in her mouth and made her heart ache. It had not even been a full day since she left home. The final hug she gave her mom had lasted long, but sadly not long enough in her eyes. To be fair leaving home and knowing she couldn't return in the foreseeable future meant that any amount of time was too short.

"Now, now, no need for that, what will you cook for me?"

Camilla smiled and presented the object she would cook with.

"Huh, potatoes? You want to impress me with that?"

Camilla grinned, "Where's the kitchen?"

* * *

"Amazing! This kitchen is even bigger than the one in my restaurant!", Camilla exclaimed, looking around in awe. The modern kitchen contrasted the rest of the building, from what she had seen and was rather unexpected. No old stove and cockroaches running around, just a pristine, restaurant-level kitchen.

"Yes, all the things you see are thanks to the Golden Era of the Polar Star."

"Were they important people?"

Fumio smiled, her eyes sparkling as she relished in her memories. "They are now. Back then they were students, just like you."

Meanwhile, Camilla took a look at the ingredients in the kitchen. There wasn't a lot of food here, but she could try to use the leftovers.

Although she had always been good at handling her kitchen utensils, exams never were her forte. She barely passed middle school, only shining in the kitchen. Luckily there weren't written entrance exams otherwise, she would have been bound to fail.

She grabbed a pot of water and waited for it to boil, as she peeled the potatoes and thinly sliced them. As soon as the water started to bubble, she tossed the slices in.

After butterflying a small package of veal, she pounded it with a mallet.

The old lady smiled at her, "What did that poor piece of meat ever do to you?"

Camilla smirked, "Not tender enough."

She tossed vinegar, oil, mustard, pepper, sugar, fresh parsley and chives, garlic and red onions into a bowl with some other ingredients and rapidly mixed them together. She poured the fluid into an ice cube container and put it into the freezer.

"What's that?"

"Oh, I'm just making some marinade ice cubes."

"Ice cubes?", Fumio asked bewildered.

Camilla smiled and tossed the al dente potato slices into some stock. "I need to cool this down, but I've noticed that the potatoes soak up the stock best when they are still hot. It's a fast method of cooling without diluting the flavour that I developed at my restaurant."

Once the potatoes soaked up some of the stock and became creamier, she added the vinegar cubes and made sure everything was incorporated, before placing everything back in the fridge.

As soon as that was done, she poured panko bread crumbs in a small bag and crushed them until they were fine. On another plate, she poured out some flour and some mixed eggs.

She salted and peppered the cut of meat and the bread crumbs.

"Veal Milanese?"

Camilla smirked, "Close." She brought out a block of lard and placed it into the sizzling hot pan.

As the lard melted, she dipped the meat into flour, then eggs and then crumbs. As soon as the coverage pleased her, she carefully placed the meat into the lard bath and moved the pan as the crust browned.

As soon as both sides were golden brown, she placed it on a rack and patted it with a paper towel. Camilla placed the potato salad in one bowl and the Schnitzel onto a plate.

"Please enjoy this serving of Vienna!"

Fumio looked at the dish. "That's a large piece of meat. It's pretty thin too, are you sure it didn't dry out?"

The grey-haired lady cut a small piece off the edge and observed the small piece of meat. "Ah, it's nice and crispy, but the inside is so tender and juicy."

She took a bite, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "Such a delicate flavour. The lard complements the meat in such a beautiful way and the airy, light batter shields the meat, adding such incredible texture!"

Camilla smiled warmly, "Please try some of the salad as well."

"What's that green shimmer? Another oil?"

Fumio took a hesitant bite of the salad, her eyes widening. "The cold contrast to the meat and the acidity are so refreshing! The potatoes have absorbed the flavour, while the starch thickened the marinade. A beautiful exchange! The potatoes haven't turned soggy as well and the sweetness together with the slight spicy sweetness and crunch of the red onions enhance the dish! It reminds me of the sweetness of my youth!", she kept eating.

"Fumio, what's this commotion?"

A fair-haired young man walked in, wearing an apron. And that was it. Camilla turned away in shock. Was it normal for a half-naked guy to run around? Fumio clearly wasn't fazed by this. His muscular arms tensed as he spotted Camilla, but his expression changed to a sweet smile as he watched Fumio enjoy the dish.

"Oh nothing", Fumio paused wiping some crumbs with a napkin, "Just welcoming the newest member of the Polar Star. Welcome, Camilla Huber, you've passed!"

Camilla smiled confidently, although she had to shield her eyes and resist staring at the almost naked boy. How was this hygienic in any way? She was proud of herself, not only for her self-control but also her ability to cook.

"Huber? Where do you come from?"

Camilla smiled and raised an old, faded picture of her family restaurant that had been neatly tucked in her apron, "Austria, I was the chef at the Viennese restaurant Golden Deer.", he briefly looked at the picture and handed it back to her.

"We serve traditional Austrian cuisine, although I've been trying to add a Japanese flair lately, to my family's dismay.".  
Her experiments had been an utter failure for the most part, but it still was fun and rewarding to finally find something that worked.

"Japanese and Austrian? What an odd mix of cuisines."

"Yeah, my mom's Japanese, so I thought it would be nice to deviate from our usual recipes. Anyway, please have some too, sir."

He let out a hearty laugh, "I'm only a first-year student myself, so please don't make me feel so old.", he cheerily exclaimed, taking a bite of the salad. Usually, it was the side dish but the sweet, acidic and yet savoury flavour stole the spotlight in this case. The potato, a simple and beloved vegetable came out on top.

"I added some different ingredients, but that's my secret to keep.", she smiled.

"Pumpkin oil, light soy sauce and sesame oil? What interesting additions.", she raised an eyebrow.

"I guess I couldn't hide something so simple from a skilled cook."

He shrugged, "You don't need secrets here, Camilla, you just need to work hard and have fun. We're family in the Polar Star dorm, although, I wouldn't mind a cook-off one day."

Have fun? It was rare that another cook didn't try to undermine her skills right away. On top of that, he told her to have fun? Her eyes sparkled in awe.

"Enough of this, Satoshi! She needs her rest while she can get it. You should know how stressful things will get.", Fumio nagged, grabbing the plate back from Satoshi and continuing to eat.

"Of course, what room is she in, Fumio?"

"Room number 207.", Camilla raised an eyebrow "I hope it isn't too far? I'm pretty beat after my flight."

"I can lead you there, neighbour.", Satoshi grabbed her bag and started walking. Camilla quickly took her keys and rushed after him, repeatedly telling him she could carry her own things. She didn't like receiving help. Favours only meant you owed something back. She tried not to lag behind to avoid a view of his butt.

"It's honestly not that heavy.", he started when they finally stopped in front of a door, "And you said you're tired. You're part of the family now, Camilla. We try our best to look after each other at Polar Star."

The sincerity in his voice melted her heart. Was it naive to trust someone so easily? Most definitely, but she couldn't help it. "Anyway, I'll be in room 206 if you need me.", she bowed to him and disappeared into her room.

The medium, minimalist room surprised her. There was a bed, a wooden desk by a large window that faced the garden, a simple bookshelf and a short coffee table. The style once again deviated from the exterior of the classic house and the modern kitchen.

She set her luggage down and took out the most important outfits. Her pyjama and her bathrobe. It was time for a nice soak. 

* * *

After soaking in the hot bath for what felt like a year, she wrapped herself in a towel and a bathrobe and slowly crept out of the bathroom. Her skin was still steaming when she turned around the corner and spotted someone by her room.

"I'm starting to feel like you are following me.", she chastised, crossing her arms.

Satoshi laughed, "Are you calling me a creep?" he pointed at the door next to hers. "I'm just leaving my room."

"I see." she pulled her robe tighter around herself as she walked past him, "Then have a good night.". He smiled and nodded at her.

She wrapped her hair in her towel and tossed her bathrobe away before rolling into her cool bed. After the long flight and demanding entry exams, it wouldn't have been surprising if she instantly fell asleep. Instead, she stared at the ceiling and wondered how life would be. Although cooking for customers had become a routine, most of the time her mom was the one, who cooked her dinner. She also was so used to her mom doing her laundry. The more she thought about home, the more she realized how fortunate she had been. Yes, she had to work at the restaurant on most days, but she always had a home and a hot meal to return to and basically a loving mother, who also acted as her housekeeper. She rolled over and took a deep breath. Homesickness was inevitable, but that it would set in so fast and also hit her as hard as a bulldozer was rather unexpected. Usually, she loved travelling and going away from home. Her eyes watered as she took another deep breath. Maybe she really was a spoiled brat until now.

"Camilla, are you awake?", a creepy voice escaped from a few metal tubes beside her bed, tearing her from her train of thoughts.

"Well, I'm all alone over here.", Satoshi whimpered, pretending he was crying all alone. Her eyes briefly fluttered open, before eyeing the clock in frustration. It was almost midnight. Had so much time passed already? Did she actually doze off without realizing it?

Camilla sighed and stood up. "Give me a minute to get dressed before being creepy."

"That's great! Room 207! We'll be waiting here!" his former sad voice had completely vanished within a split second. 

We? How many others lived here? Come to think of it, he seemed to be the only other person in this dorm when she arrived. Were they the first to come back? Where had all the other students been? Still in class or taking their exams? Maybe the others would be waiting in the room with him, to welcome her?

She stared at her reflection and groaned. Her hair looked as if a wet dog were clinging to her head. Camilla grabbed her brush and tried to fix it, but to no avail. Finally, she grabbed a hair tie and made a messy bun to hide her mop head. She slipped on her pyjamas and bathrobe and made her way to the neighbouring room. How many people were waiting on the other side? She gulped and hesitantly rested her hand on the handle. What if they didn't like her or didn't understand her? She knew basic Japanese, but having full blown conversations with several people at the same time? Her mom always wanted to teach her Japanese, but her teachers would become upset when she only spoke Japanese in class. Maybe if they had Schnapps for some odd reason or a beer. Alcohol supposedly makes people less anxious and better with foreign languages from what she read.

But even if she managed to get some coherent sentences out, what if they disliked her? She let go of the handle and turned around. It wasn't too late to pretend she felt ill. Tomorrow she would make sure her hair looked good and wear something more flattering than fluffy bunny pants, a faded panda top and a worn-out bathrobe. As she reached for the door handle of her room, the opposing door swung open.

"Come on Camilla! We're waiting!", Satoshi grabbed her hand, which made her flinch and pulled her in. Everyone stared at her expectantly, but nobody seemed fazed by the almost naked Satoshi.

She fumbled with her hands as she stared at the group of new people feeling more ridiculous than ever before. "Hi.", she awkwardly lifted her hand, "I'm Camilla."

"Welcome!", a bubbly girl with two orange buns called out, "I'm Yuki, this is Ryoko.", she pointed at a mature-looking, purple haired girl, "And this is Megumi!", an innocent blue haired girl waved at her.

She made her way to them and sat down, before getting introduced to everyone else. "Ryoko is like our big sister! You can ask her anything."

Camilla observed Ryoko. She did have a sisterly vibe that reminded her of her own sister, although Sofia loved telling others about her secrets after promising not to. Maybe Ryoko was more trustworthy? She looked kind and if the others said she was great, maybe it was true? She felt uncertain. "Thank you, I might take you up on that offer one day."

"I really like your top, it's cute.", Megumi shyly exclaimed with a small smile. Camilla smiled back and thanked her.

Even though all of them were incredibly kind, she felt a little uncomfortable. It was clear that they were a close-knit group and could joke around, but the new girl was, well, a complete stranger, who could barely get a word out.

Ryoko looked her way, her eyes widening when she noticed how uncomfortable Camilla must have felt. The purple haired girl brought out a large bottle. "I thought this would be a great occasion to celebrate with some rice juice."

Everyone cheered and brought out their cups. Megumi handed a cup to Camilla. Why were they so happy about juice?

Ryoko filled her cup, "I made this myself, so please be honest. I want to perfect my skills like everyone else here."

Camilla slowly raised the cup to her lips as everyone else chatted away happily. Instead of juice, the rich flavour of rice wine hit her tongue. The unexpected difference almost made her spit out the beverage, but as soon as it coated her mouth and she swallowed her body felt as if it had been embraced with pure warmth. She took another big gulp. "This is delicious! Much better than the stuff I've had back home."

Ryoko smiled happily, "I'm glad you enjoy it. My family specializes in Koji and fermentation, so I've had some experience with making rice juice. It's fun to try some other ingredients once in a while."

After a couple cups, Camilla started to feel her cheeks heat up as the delicious juice was rather strong. She ended up joking and chatting with everyone all night. This was going to be her new family for the next years and she wouldn't have it any other way. They were goofy, maybe even slightly crazy, but accepting and loving. Something she had craved for years.


	3. Chapter 3

Looks like we'll be around each other even more. He smiled down at her as the teacher explained everything at the front. A French dish? She smiled back, it would be easy.

"You seem confident.", Satoshi remarked as she collected the ingredients.

"Well, Austrian cuisine has some links with French cuisine, at least the pastries do. It shouldn't be too hard to make this good. And besides, I love cooking."

"That's good, I'm ecstatic to see you cook."

"Same goes for you, partner.", she winked at him before turning away and blushing at her overconfidence.

"Navarin D'Agneau."

"Basically lamb with white wine and spring vegetables."

Satoshi grabbed the lamb shoulders and started to prepare them.

"I'll chop the vegetables!", he nodded.

She sighed and tried to think of a dish that used wine and lamb at her restaurant.

"Focus, Camilla. Chapelle is watching us."

A shiver ran down her back, piercing blue eyes boring through her. People said he never smiled and being in his presence only confirmed that rumour. She smiled at him and went back to battle mode, rapidly prepping the onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, beans and peas.

"Ok, I've browned the lamb, I'll be making the roux next."

"Here's the garlic, tomato paste and garlic. I'll start cooking the potatoes and carrots then."

She sighed as he whisked in the stock and wine. Somehow he had taken over the important role immediately. She had to make these vegetables perfect so that they would complement the dish, not just be a lame side, but they couldn't be too overbearing and steal the spotlight.

She looked around the spice and herb cabinet and grabbed a few things.

As Satoshi lifted the lid, she threw in several thyme sprigs, bay leaves and chopped spring onions. His eyes widened as he watched her. "What are you doing? Spring onions and bay leaves aren't in the recipe."

"Well, sometimes more actually is better."

He sighed, "At least clear this up with me before you make random additions."

"Sorry for trying to get us a good grade.", she bit her tongue. Cooking made her way too confident at times.

They added the tender vegetables to the lamb and let them absorb the delicious sauce.  
A few students watched them plate the dish. "One sec."

As Satoshi picked up the plate, Camilla placed a single thyme sprig on top of it.  
"Adding some flair to the dish.", she smiled at their creation. It definitely added a nice splash of colour.

They walked up to Roland Chapelle and placed the dish in front of him. The corner of his mouth twitched as he ate. Was he going to smile? All students watched him intently, as the tension rose.

"It's good."

Disappointment brewed in Camilla's stomach. That was it? All that work for a two-word answer?

He raised his eyebrow as he observed the dish and chewed. Chapelle sniffed the plate and took another bite. "The lamb is perfect and the spring onions really did elevate the flavour of the spring vegetables. How refreshing."  
He set down his cutlery, sighing loudly as he stared at the meal. "That'll be a pass."

Satoshi patted her shoulder as they returned to their table. "Good thinking."

Her heart flew off into space when he praised her. It was one thing to be praised by the teacher, but something about being acknowledged by Satoshi made her insides flutter. She bit her lip at how ridiculous she sounded. You're not twelve anymore, Camilla! Get a grip!

"Good job, chef." She replied, walking out of the kitchen. There was so much to explore in this new school, this new country, that some compliments and achievements definitely couldn't be the highlight, right? She gulped when she left the room and looked around. Where would she even start? Where would she find new friends?  
A few girls talking to each other roused her interest. "Hey, I'm Camilla, a transfer student from-"

They looked at her and creepily raised their brows in sync.

"I'll just get going.", she stuttered, walking back in the direction she had come from while looking back at them and waving awkwardly. Being a people person was hard enough without people staring at her as if she were a lunatic! Why did they have to be so rude anyway? They could at least talk to her or tell her to get lost. Camilla was so deep in thought, she didn't realise another classmate had left the room as well. She smacked right into him. The unexpected body sent her flying backwards, but his hand swiftly reached out and grabbed hers.

"You alright?", she let go of his hand and realised how short he was. He was shorter than her and usually, that was quite an achievement.

Her green eyes met his. "Oh yeah, just a bit tired. I must be jet lagged.", she uncomfortably rubbed the back of her neck.

"Jet-lagged? Where are you from?"

"Uhm, Austria."

His face perked up, "The one with the kangaroos?"

She sighed, exasperated. Nobody knew her tiny country and the similarity with Australia often lead to mix-ups.

"Sadly no, just loads of cows and mountains. It's the one in Europe."

"Huh, sounds fascinating. How long was your flight then?"

"About seventeen hours. Twenty if you include to and from the airport."

The short boy tapped his chin and hummed, "I'm curious, what did you do all that time? I'd get so bored, just sitting around for almost a day."

She pressed her lips together and looked away as she remembered her rather embarrassing journey. A hundred pack of tissues in her hand and loud sobs escaping her every time she thought about home.

"I… slept.", she returned her gaze, hoping he'd drop the topic. "Well anyway, I'm going to explore the school and see what I can do here.", she pointed in the direction she had been heading before she ran into him.

"Oh, I just realized you might have no idea where anything is considering you're a tourist. Do you want a quick tour? My schedule is still pretty empty for now. In fact, I'm actually searching for a taste tester, so we could help each other out."

Who was this random guy? Taste test? Wasn't that the job she wanted to do at some point in her life if she failed at being a chef?

"Hello?", she shook her head, blush dusting her cheeks and could hear the girls snickering.

"Oh- yeah, sure, sounds good! I was actually wondering what clubs to join since I never did these kinds of things back in middle school. It'd be nice to turn over a new leaf and stuff. But I'm rambling, where to?"

He grinned cheekily and nodded, "I'm sure we'll find something for you! I might even have a catalogue somewhere."  
The boy absentmindedly walked off and continued explaining everything, leaving her behind to scramble after him.

"By the way.", she called out, "I'm Camilla, you?"

He stopped and smirked, "Nice to meet you, Cami, I'm Kuga."

* * *

"So, what brings you all the way to Totsuki anyway?", he scooted closer to her, pushing the catalogue between them.

She sighed, "I was getting distracted in the restaurant.", she lifted her finger and showed the thin scar from the last time she had been in her restaurant's kitchen, "Kept making rookie mistakes and experimenting on the customers.", he chuckled at the last part, "The menu was becoming boring.", she explained.

"I see, rookie mistakes.", he remarked condescendingly.

"What?", Camilla crossed her arms and scoffed, "As if you've never made a mistake."

"First of all, I'm perfect in the kitchen. Second of all, it's the way you speak. You clearly have an accent and the girls were staring because you switched out some words."

"Oh.", Camilla blushed furiously, "What did I say? Was it bad?"

"Nah, it definitely wasn't gibberish, you just swapped the order is all."

She nodded and thanked the boy, leaning her head against the cool table, "It's mortifying to not be able to say such basic things and I'm really trying. Thanks for pointing it out, Kuga."

He nodded, bouncing the pen off his soft lips. "Anyway, we need to find something that fits you so what's your favourite dish?"

"Like my signature dish?", she bit her lip and stared at the catalogue. With such an abundance of interesting clubs, would she be satisfactory? "I don't think I've ever had one. I would always copy my mother as a child and then started helping out at the restaurant and tweaked things."

He smiled, "Don't worry, most first years don't have a signature dish yet. I meant what your favourite food is, your comfort food."

"Hainanese chicken with cold cucumber slices and oyster sauce. Add rice that was cooked in the broth to that and have a bowl of broth on the side."

"That was fast.", he laughed at her enthusiasm.

"I'll make it tonight! You'll know why once you've tried it!"

He smiled, "Sounds good, it's always smart to know your opponents."

Kuga flicked to the next page, "So, not a fan of spicy food?", the jeer in his voice was almost offensive.

Camilla lifted her eyebrow, "Actually, I do. My mom used to make everything so spicy, I had a hard time eating it, as delicious as it was. You know that enjoyable, addictive spice? Where you start to crave the burn and keep eating? It's almost intoxicating."

"Was it really that good? What's the spiciest dish you've ever had?", he continued, still patiently scrutinizing the catalogue in front of him. It had become the least interesting part of their discussion, the tension of talking to a stranger dissipating between them.

"Oh, I once visited a restaurant, while travelling with my dad.", she sighed at the memory of her dad. He hadn't come to her farewell party, he hardly ever was around in the first place. The fact that he hadn't turned up that one time hurt more than usual. She shook her head, "Anyway, they served this huge pot or rather lantern of soft-shell crab with Sichuan peppers. The crab had this crispy skin as well, it was pretty memorable, especially since I spent most of the night dipping my tongue in ice.", they laughed.  
"Was it only spicy?"

"Definitely not!", she exclaimed, "It was so delicious, I couldn't stop even though the spice was unbearable. Not a food to eat on a first date, unless your date wants to see you with a red, tear-streaked and sweaty face.", she laughed at the memory of that night.

He watched her, curiosity burning in his eyes as she described the flavour profile of the dish.

"What about you? What's your comfort food?"

He smiled and slammed the catalogue shut, making the girl jump. "Well, I wanted you to be my taste tester, actually. It's a mapo tofu recipe I've been working on for years. In a way, my signature dish and of course, my comfort food."

Camilla smirked, "I'd be honoured."

* * *

Tears welled up in her eyes. It hurt, it hurt so much but it was so good. She kept chewing and staring right at him as he cheekily grinned.

"You're blushing, Cami.", she huffed and looked down at the dish.

It was mind-blowingly delicious. The spice alone made her mouth water.

"So, Cami, what's missing?", she tried to ignore the overwhelming spice and attempted to remember her mom's recipe. "Or is it perfect as it is?", the pride dripped from his words as he happily observed her.

"Actually, I feel like you could add more Doubanjiang paste. It's missing this salty pang, you know? At least, that's how I like it."

"You think?", he plopped down into the seat next to her, taking her spoon and eating a bite, "I guess I could try that. I'm mostly worried about the balance. I've also wanted to add more of the Sichuan pepper."

"Then give it a go, I'm still deciding on a club, so you can take your time."

He smiled, "What about the Chinese Cuisine RS?"

"Ha, no.", she stopped laughing when she noticed he was serious.  
"I'm actually the president of the club, so you'd get the best training possible."

She stared at him, slightly flabbergasted, looking for some sarcasm anywhere in that sentence. "You're already the president of a club?"

He laughed, "That's the only thing you're questioning?"

"Well, it's a valid question!", Camilla laughed, "Either way, I don't think I have enough experience in Chinese Cuisine to be of any help."

"Well, wouldn't that be the perfect reason to join? I've been told I'm a good teacher.", he playfully smiled at her, resting his head on his palm.

Camilla pondered, "That's a valid point, but I don't want to waste your time or hold you back."

"Well, you clearly show some talent, otherwise you would have been thrown out of Chapelle's class. The offer still stands if you should change your mind."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

He nodded and got back up, returning to the cooking area and giving the dish another try with the changes in mind.

Would she be good enough?

"I like this one better.", she smiled as she finished the dish. "It definitely has more spice but the flavours work better. Anyway, time to head home. I hope you're still hungry because I promised you some food as well."

He tilted his head, "That chicken dish?"

She nodded, "It will be much lighter on the stomach and a good opportunity to try my cooking."

* * *

"So this is Polar Star?"

"Yeah, I'm the only first year, along with Satoshi Isshiki."

"Satoshi? The one you were paired up with today?"

She nodded as she took out the chicken. "He might still be out. I haven't seen him since class."

Kuga nodded and leaned against the counter, "So what's the secret of your dish?"

"Well, there's no secret to it, I don't think. I do what feels right."

He watched her rub salt on the chickens. "What are you doing with these poor chickens?"

She laughed, "I'm giving it a little facial and exfoliating it."

"But-", he paused, "…why?"

She shrugged, "My mother always did it this way, she said it removes dead skin and icky stuff. Anyway, want to be my sous chef today instead of only watching?", she offered, as she continued rubbing every nook and cranny of the chicken.

"Yes, chef! What can I do?"

"Clean and soak the rice for now."

She watched him intently as she rinsed off the salt and scum. He worked fast and to the point. No move was superfluous.

"Mince half of the ginger and thinly slice the rest."

"The whole thing?"

She swiftly chopped the spring onion and nodded, "We'll be using it for a lot of things."

"Yes, chef."

She smirked at him. Her colleagues never adapted to calling a teen "Chef" and yet he had started without her even mentioning it. This definitely was something she could get used to.

She stuffed the chicken with the onions and sliced garlic and placed it in a pot of cold water, slowly bringing it to a boil.

"Alright, we can start preparing the sauces. How about you make a chilli sauce while I make the ginger and garlic sauce?"

"On it chef, how spicy should it be?"

"Well, we have broth and rice to cool their tongues, so go wild.", his eyes beamed with joy as he brought out his selection of peppers. "Yes, chef!"

As soon as the chicken was done, she carefully placed it into an ice bath and sauteed some garlic, ginger and the soaked rice, before adding some of the broth. While the rice cooked, she patted the chicken dry and rubbed some sesame oil on it to keep it from drying out.

"That chicken has nicer skin than some teenagers.", Kuga mumbled as he watched her rub the meat, "I'm almost jealous."

"Need a facial later?", she jokingly asked as she started to carve the meat.

He tapped his chin, "Sure, I'll give you one too, Cami. We can have a little sleepover!"

She giggled, "Sure, make sure you bring a sleeping bag, your toothbrush and of course a pyjama."

"Aw, you're making your guest and best ever friend at this school sleep on the floor?"

She shrugged, "I guess I'm the worst, least hospitable person at this school. Should have chosen better friends."

Her heart felt light and she had to hide her joy. He said he was her friend. She made a friend today! If she were alone, she would be squealing and jumping around. Camilla smiled at the thought. No, no more of this preteen stuff, she was almost an adult and had to behave that way.

Kuga pouted, "After I gave you food, helped you with clubs and helped you cook, this is how you repay me?"

"I'm also about to give you food and helped you with your recipe.", she poked his nose. He crinkled his nose and crossed his arms.

"Fine, fine, you win."

She smiled and nodded contently as she continued preparing the platters.

"I wonder where the others are, I made enough for everyone.", she nervously glanced at the clock.

"More for us.", Kuga mumbled as he helped her thinly slice a cucumber.

"What's this lovely smell?", Fumio made her way to the two students and eyed the dish. "That's a lot for two."

Camilla greeted her dorm mother and explained the situation to her.

Fumio smiled and carefully observed all the ingredients. "Not bad, I can't wait to try it. I'm sure the others will appreciate it too."

"Do you know where everyone is?"

"They're probably busy with clubs or practising. Speaking of clubs, have you found a club you'd like to join?"

Camilla shook her head, "I haven't been able to decide. I'm worried I'll be a burden or look stupid in front of everyone."

Fumio smiled and shook her head, "Worst case you can stay at home and help me out. My old bones can't do all of this anymore. Kids these days are so busy with their own stuff and won't help the elderly like they used to!", she wandered off, still muttering to herself.

* * *

"How many people live here?", Kuga wondered, looking at all the food.

"I made enough for twelve, but we'll be eleven including you."

"Good, because I want you all to try my new hot sauce.", he pushed a shimmering red sauce towards Camilla with a grin. "You can be the first to taste it!"

She rubbed her stomach and remembered about all the other hot things she had eaten. Her stomach grumbled. "Ok, but this better not be too hot."

He nodded and lifted a spoon with an ungodly amount, shoving it in her mouth before she could retaliate.

At first, a sweet, acidic fragrance reached her nose followed by a peppery heat, which turned into an inferno on her tongue. Tears welled up, she huffed and ran to the fridge. "No, no, no, no.", she pulled out all the drawers in desperate search for milk or yoghurt or anything that could put out this fire.

"Is it that bad?" he smirked, trying some as well. "I guess it's a bit hotter than my usual sauces."

She stared at him with great disdain, pressing a slice of toast against her tongue.

"That's it, I'm calling off our sleepover.", she muttered, incoherently.  
"You're what?"  
"No sleepover!"

Kuga pouted, "But it would be so fun! And you told me to go wild!", he leapt from his chair and walked up to her, grabbing a chunk of her toast and eating it as well. She sighed and protectively held the rest of her toast.

"Fine, but no more chilli experiments for today and make this less deadly, otherwise, I'll make you eat the whole thing."

He held out his thumb and winked, "Yes, chef!"


End file.
